Rochester Air Quality in 2019

In 2019, Rochester's air quality (Rochester, NY area) had a median daily AQI of 42 (Good) across 365 monitored days. 0 days (0.0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 268 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 90 (Moderate). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 210 of those days. The cleanest month of 2019 was October (median AQI 32, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 51, 0 days above 100, peak 74).

42
Median AQI
Good
0
Days above AQI 100
0.0% of 365 days
58
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
90
Peak AQI
Moderate
PM2.5
Main pollutant
210 of 365 days
268
Good days
73.4% of days
  • Good: 73.4%
  • Moderate: 26.6%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 0.0%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 0.0%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Rochester's air quality in 2019?

Good on a typical day: median AQI 42, with 0 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 3rd cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2019: 90 (Moderate).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 210 days.
  • Cleanest month: October; worst: July.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Rochester in 2019?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Rochester's (Rochester, NY) median daily AQI for 2019 at 42, which is Good. 0 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 90.

Which month had the worst air quality in Rochester in 2019?

The cleanest month of 2019 was October (median AQI 32, 0 days above 100) and the worst was July (median 51, 0 days above 100, peak 74).

Was 2019 a good or bad year for Rochester's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2019 ranks 3rd cleanest by days above AQI 100. 2019's median of 42 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 42.

Rochester month by month in 2019

Rochester air quality month by month, 2019 (Rochester, NY, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3145064PM2.5
February2842063PM2.5
March3148064PM2.5
April3044067O3
May3138064O3
June3043090O3
Julyworst3151074PM2.5
August3139064O3
September3034059O3
Octobercleanest3132052PM2.5
November3035069PM2.5
December3146069PM2.5

How 2019 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2019 ranks 3rd cleanest by days above AQI 100.

2019's median of 42 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 42.

Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Rochester, NY), 2019–2025. Daily AQI per CBSA is the highest AQI reported by any monitor in the area that day; the defining parameter is the pollutant that set it. Month and season statistics pool every such day in the period across all years listed. Retrieved 2026-09-09.